PS3 Game Review - Resistance: Fall of Man

Anyone who has picked up a news paper or has seen a news broadcast in recent weeks knows that the Playstation 3 has arrived. With it has come a whole arsenal of new and remastered games for Playstation 3 fans to enjoy. The most anticipated title of the PS3 was/is undoubtedly "Resistance: Fall of Man", which is from the developers of the Ratchet & Clank series (Insomniac Games). Although they have not been known for their "realistic" looking games, Insomniac Games has always done its best to produce quality games. This time they have taken a new turn in gaming; and with this exclusive, action packed, first-person shooter for the PS3, they are sure to get lots of praise from gamers.

The setting and storyline of "Resistance: Fall of Man" seems to be an interesting one. Instead of World War II taking place, a strange alien species, known as the Chimera, has invaded and is slowly taking over the planet. They are vicious looking creatures and they will destroy and/or consume whatever is in their path. The reason they are spreading throughout Europe (which is where they supposedly originated) so fast, is the fact that the Chimera infect humans, who then become Chimera themselves.

Heres the deal: you are Nathan Hale, an American Soldier, and you have been sent over seas to support the defenses in Europe; more specifically the UK, as Europe has been almost entirely consumed by the Chimera. Not much is known about the origin and why these Chimera have risen, but as you progress through the game, you will learn more about the Chimera and where they truly came from. The strange thing about the storyline is that the narration and perspective of the War is not done by Hale, but by a female soldier who has encountered Hale in the UK. She will give you plenty of information and feedback on the situation, but many gamers would have preferred Hale to play a more "active" role in the narration. Overall, the story seems to be very well developed and is sure to entertain and excite Playstation 3 fans.

The control scheme for this game is your standard run-of-the-mill FPS (first person shooter) set-up. Analog sticks control movement and looking, while the other buttons let you fire, change weapons, and interact with the environment. The Sixaxis controller seems to have been implemented nicely as well. There will be times when some Chimera creatures will grab hold of you; this is when you begin shaking the controller in order to try to break free. It may not sound too thrilling in the description, but it can get pretty intense during gameplay when surrounded by those creatures. The feature won't be used around every corner; but when you do use it, you'll find yourself appreciating the game, as well as the PS3, much more.

The weapon choices seems to be pretty basic; pistols, shotguns, rifles, snipers, grenades, and, of course the big gun, the rocket launcher. Although they may be "basic" FPS guns, the detail of each one of them is quite astounding, as well as the visual presentation when each of them is fired. There are also a few special guns that you will find throughout "Resistance: Fear of Man"; not to mention a few advanced weapons that you can unlock once you have completed the game. The only non realistic thing in the weapons department is "weapon carrying". Most games today allow only a few weapons to be held, rather than an arsenal. However, "Resistance: Fear of Man" goes back to the roots of FPS gaming, where you can pick up any and all guns you come across. Now to some gamers, this is somewhat of a bad thing. They believe it is bad because any soldier carrying 5+ different heavy weapons is going to be slow and ineffective when it comes to fast paced combat; and therein lies the lack of realism. But, many people find that carrying many different weapons is a good thing; as they can change weapons instantly to better deal with the situation at hand. Therefore, that small lack of realism is easy to bare and people get used to it quite quickly.

In terms of performance and overall appearance, this game definitely gets an A+, and then some. The graphics and cut-scenes are excellently done, as well as the explosive special effects and character detail. The sound is of an exceptional quality also, which makes every shot fired that much more intense. As far as some of the visual displays and designs go, you may notice similarities to other big titles; but that will be left up to you to find.

"Resistance: Fall of Man" is sure to be a PS3 "Great One" for several months, and should always be remembered as one of the PS3's greatest launch titles. If you happen to have the honor of owning a Playstation 3, this game should, without a doubt, be in your game collection.